, 1887-08-04
Curtis on Civil Service Reform.

NEWPORT, r. l., Aug. Geo. Viii
liam Curtis, president of the National
Civil Service Reform League, delivered
some striking opinions in his annual ad-
dress at a meeting of the league here to-
day. He said: 1T is now possible to
judge correctly the course of President
Cleveland's administration in regard to
civil service reform, and | regret to say
that during the two years and FIVE months
of the administrations existence, while
the reform law has been respected within
its limited range, and while there are I'M
questionable and encouraging signs of
progress, yet according to information
undoubtedly authentic, there has been
very significant changes in the civil ser
vice. Substantially the whole force of
government employees has been changed,
hardly enough experienced men being re-
tanned to allow of the regular transaction
of the public business.
While this was the desire and expecta-
ton of a large and important part of
MIR. Cleveland's supporters at the polls,
Mr.. Curtis could not believe it was de-
sired or contemplated by the intelligent
sentiment of the country. If the presi-
dents pressure for spoils had been resist
ed firmly and no change tolerated beyond
AL CQulIdDlG ulNlslOu DtUWtGu paTUlGS,
it might have been accepted as a per-
missable compromise under difficult cir
cumstances, and Curtis believed the reform
system would be so strongly entrenched
in public approval that at the end of the
second term of the administration which
established it no succeeding party or pres
ident would venture to interfere. If
President Cleveland should declare that
the general political reconstruction that
had taken place was due to a change of
conviction on his part in favor of the
spoils system, he would be aban-
doned by so large a body of
citizens as to bring his re election into
serious peril. The Civil Service Reform
League, however, believed the president
was uprightly dealing with the vast and
complicated range of duties and had been
unable to accomplish all he would have
done. The league must nevertheless en-
phatically declare that it does not regard
the administrator worthy Of respect and
confidence for many reasons, and in
any strict sense of the word a civil service
reform administration.
AT the business meeting Curtis was
unanimously re elected president and ac-
cepted the Office in a few brief remarks.
The report of the committee on resolu-
tions formally expressed the ideas con-
tanned in the address OF WIN. Curtis.
Notice is taken OF the violation of the
presidents circular by certain federal
Office holders at the recent primary cleo.
tons in Baltimore, which the association
is requested to investigate. If necessary
the executive committee of the league, in
connection with the state association,
may request the president to dismiss the
offenders if the charges are proven.
Among other things the league renews
the recommendation that the application
of the civil service rule be extended to
the District of Columbia, the postal mail
service, the clerical force in the Indian
service. and other Offices where u smaller
force than fifty clerks are required, and
recommends hat the assistant heads of
bureaus and heads OF divisions should be
included whiting the classifcatisns: that
the senate should consider nominations in
open session. and that public officers
should be required to place upon public
record all appointments. removals and
designations, and the reasons therefor;
that acts which limit the tenure of office
OF inferior officers to four years should be
repealed as a baneful source of intrigue
and corruption. The league earnestly
recommends to its constituent associations
that the associations in those states in
which no civil service law has been adopt
ed exert themselves to the utmost to
promote the passage of laws establishing
the merit system Of appointments.